Portable head-rest



(No Model.)

B. I. PRESCOTT.

PORTABLE HEAD REST.

No. 278.361. Patented May-29,1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT Grates.

EDWARD F. PRESCOTT, OF LANCASTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

PORTABLE HEAD-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,361, dated May 29,1883.

Application filed January 27, 1883. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. Pansoo'rr.

of Lancaster, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, acitizen of the United "States, have invented a certain new andusedescription,refereuce'being had to the accom panying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my invention. Fig.2 is a plan view thereof reversed.

and 6 represent modifications of the construc- Fig. 3 is an end view.Figs. 4, 5,

tion hereinafter more fully described. Fig. 7 is a view of theinvention. shown in Fig. 1 when folded into portable shape.

p The invention comprises a portable head-' rest consisting of a lightframe-work which may be folded into small space, and whichsupports aflexible head-cloth.

Referring to the drawings, I represent in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 one form ofconstruction, and

r it is the one which I prefer to employ, and in Figs. 4, 5, and 6modificationsof the principle which will hereinafter be more fullydescribed. Referring to the figures, A represents the open frame-work,which may be of wire, rat tan, or any other suitable material, and B thehead-cloth or support.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the frame-work comprises the bent or curved wire orother supports or arms, aa/ a a These preferably are of the same sizeandshape, and each has the eyes a through which the cross-rod a extends,and by which rod they are coniiected together, as representedthat is,thelends beiug arranged in two groups, one of which groups is at one endof the rod and the other at the other end, and the washers orequivalents thereof fastened to the ends of thecrossrod hold themthereon, while the spring of the wireor frame, caused by the form of thesupports, tendsto keep them separated from each other and in two groups,as specified 5 but of course any other means may be used for secur- 7ing them to the rod. The frame as thus conis also secured in a way to bemovable thereon,

and thence to the support when which it is also movable, and thence tothe supp orta. 1

It will readily be observed that. by sliding the straining-cord upon thelower support or .ZlllIlS toward the end of the cross-rod the cord isslackened, and the supports may be folded, .as above explained, andthatupon the movement of the cord upon the lower supports or arms awayfrom the cross-rod the arms or supports are braced or strained apart,and caused to take the shape or'position in relation to each other shownin Fig.1.

The headcloth B is united to the upper sup ports, a a, by sewing,riveting, eyeletiug, or in any other desirable way, and it may be madeof cloth, duck, canvas, leather, gossamer, or any other suitablematerial, and may be padded or not, as may be desired. For or dinarypurposes a covering of cloth is sufficient, and on some accountspreferable, be-

cause it is not heating to the head, and is sufficiently flexible oryielding to afford a soft and portable support. The action of bending orexpanding the frame also causes the headcloth to be strained into propershape.

It will be noticed that the frame of the rest has a rounded or curvedbase by which it antom'atically conformsto the inclination of the head,and that the head-support B is supported by arms which areto a certainextent yielding; but of course this latter feature is not so material,as the arms may be so shaped or.

strained as not to be yielding.

It will also be observed that the arms exother, thereby forming a shapewhich is easier and more comfortable for the head and neck. WhileIprefer this form of construction I may use as a substitute therefor theconstruction shown in Fig. 4, which comprises a framework having the twosupports 01 d,shaped as shown, pivoted to each other at dhheld togetheragainst the tension of the head-support when in use by thecord it asshown. 10c

' which the head-cloth is attached.

This construction will answer fairly well, and it involves the principleof my invention; but I do not consider it equal to the one described.

Another form is that represented in Fig. 5, in which the frame-workconsists of the supporting-arms c, carrying the cross-rods e, to Thesearms 0 are prevented from spreading when the head is upon the rest bymeans of the cord 0 In lieu of this cord, I may have a sliding metalframe or rods, 0 arranged below the head-cloth to slide up and down uponthe supports, the frame or rods having eyes 0, through which thesupports pass, and by moving this framework down the supports are openedand held apart, but upon movingit upward to the head- 'cloth thesupports can be folded in upon it,

parallel therewith.

Still another construction is shown in Fig. 6, in which a helical springis employed as the frame, and the head-cloth is attached to the outercoils, as represented, and is strained by them to make it taut. Thisspring can be closed intoa narrow space or box to make it portable, andwhen in use it will expand, and it thus answers all the purposes of thefolding and expanding or straining frame first described.

The invention can be used in hammocks or upon the ground, or as asubstitute for a pillow, and in a great many other obvious ways, and theadvantages arise from its being cheap, portable, and sanitary.

It will be observed that, when the frames are made and folded,the devicecan be shut into a small space and carried in the coatpocket.

By enlarging the frame represented in Figs. 1,2, and 3 to a sufficientsize, and also the cloth or support B, this device can be used for acushion for use at fires, 820., to receive persons who may jump thereon,or articles that'may be thrown upon it. In this case, however, the lowerarms, a a should have square corners, and it would be preferable to usecoiled springs for straining the arms apart rather than a rope.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States 1. As a new article ofmanufacture, a portable head-rest comprising a light open framework, A,substantially as described, and the head-cloth B, suspended thereby.

cloth, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

. 3. The combination, in a head rest, of a frame having a rounded orcurved base, and the head-cloth, all substantially as and for thepurposes described.

4. The combination, in a head-rest, of a frame having suspension-arms,and the headcloth B, secured to said arms,all substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination, in a head-rest, of a frame having suspension-armshigher upon their sides than at the center of the rest, in combinationwith the head-cloth, all substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a head-rest, ot'a fold. ing frame and ahead-cloth adapted to be the frame, all substantially as and for thepurposes described.

7. The combination in a head-rest, ofthe spring supporting-arms and thehead-cloth strained upon the unfolding on expansion of supportedthereby, all substantially-as and for 1 the purposes described.v

8. The combination, in a head-rest, of the supporting folding arms, thehead-cloth, and means for straining the cloth and holding open orseparated the supporting-arms, all substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.'

9. The combination, in a head-rest, of-supporting-arms, a head-cloth,and a strainingcord, all substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

10 The combination of the arms a a a a the cross-rod a", the head-clothB, and the cord 0, all substantially as and for the purposes described.lb

11. The combination of a straining-frame with a cloth, B,all-substantially as and for the purposes described. 12. The combinationof a straining-frame having two sets of yielding or spring arms,

with ahead-cloth fastened to one side thereof,

all substantially as and for the purposes de scribed.

' lLF. RAYMOND, 2d, WILLARD G. Foes.

